You are not logged in.
===
Today on Mars: 0038/04/28 Saturday Days of the week offset 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 112 Business Month 4 << Last Sol of Month 4
Today on Earth: 2025/03/07 Friday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 of 27 Sols at the end of the four six month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 053.1 Sol Number: 112 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038112
Solar Longitude: 052.7 Sol Number: 111 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038111
Solar Longitude: 052.2 Sol Number: 110 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038110
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars data J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 – Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152. Aphelion Earth Dates: Earlier: 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,030,389 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +60108 <= +2505 km/hour at 12 on 03/07 (time 12:00) (23:58 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 247,970,281 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +61728 <= +2572 km/hour at 12 on 03/06 (time 12:02) (24:02 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 247,908,553 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +63067 <= +2628 km/hour at 12 on 03/05 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
Next ahead: Galaxy PGC 1742580 above path Day 0 +48 -
Galaxy PGC 20584 Day 0 50 hours Day 0 – Day 1 27 ahead Day 2 just below Mars
TYC 1913-301-1 RA 07h 16m 32.4s – 93 hours ahead on Day 0 – Day 1 78 ahead – Day 2 – Day 4 just above Mars Day 5 – 6 past and still visible
HIP 35333 and HIP 35273 – Day 0 – Day 1 ahead – Day 2 ahead – Day 3 middle Day 4 through 7 past Day 8 out of view on left – save for return
HIP 35333 RA 07h 54.54 +26h 19m 59.4s per universeguide.com – Drop because Declination is out of reach in view
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/07 137,180,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/06 135.963,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/05 134,741,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in this cycle. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 112 is in Month 4 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 4 extends from Sol 85 through 112. <<== There are 28 days in Month 4. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 112 is Saturday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 112 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 4 of 24 Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 4-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update:
Greenwich, UK 03/08/2025, 13:00:01 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 19m 37.5s Dec +25° 31' 13.6" Appar J2000
Mag: -0.14 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,089,158 km [22.1 km/s]
Earth Dist: 138,400,766 km [15.4 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
53.5
Sol number:
113
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/01 Sunday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 113 Business Month 5 << First Sol of Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/08 Saturday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 053.5 Sol Number: 113 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038113
Solar Longitude: 053.1 Sol Number: 112 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038112
Solar Longitude: 052.7 Sol Number: 111 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038111
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars data J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 – Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152. Aphelion Earth Dates: Earlier: 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,089,158 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +58769 <= +2449 km/hour at 12 on 03/08 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,030,389 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +60108 <= +2505 km/hour at 12 on 03/07 (time 12:00) (23:58 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 247,970,281 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +61728 <= +2572 km/hour at 12 on 03/06 (time 12:02) (24:02 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
PGC 1742580 above path Day 0 +48 – Day 1 +22.5 -
Galaxy PGC 20584 Day 0 50 hours Day 0 – Day 1 27 ahead Day 2 just below Mars Day 3 – 3 Past still visible
TYC 1913-301-1 RA 07h 16m 32.4s – 93 hours ahead on Day 0 – Day 1 78 ahead – Day 2 – Day 4 just above Mars Day 5 – 7 Last day
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/08 138,584,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/07 137,180,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/06 135.963,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in this cycle. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 113 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 113 is Sunday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 112 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for Today's Calendar update after Spring Ahead to Daylight Savings Time in the US
Greenwich, UK 03/09/2025, 12:00:00 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 20m 13.4s Dec +25° 28' 22.6" Appar J2000
Mag: -0.11 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,144,128 km [22.1 km/s]
Earth Dist: 139,638,854 km [15.6 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
54
Sol number:
114
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/02 Monday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 114 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/09 Sunday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 054.0 Sol Number: 114 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038114
Solar Longitude: 053.5 Sol Number: 113 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038113
Solar Longitude: 053.1 Sol Number: 112 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038112
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars data J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 – Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152. Aphelion Earth Dates: Earlier: 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,144,128 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +54970 <= +2390 km/hour at 12 on 03/09 (time 12:00) (23 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,089,158 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +58769 <= +2449 km/hour at 12 on 03/08 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,030,389 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +60108 <= +2505 km/hour at 12 on 03/07 (time 12:00) (23:58 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
Next ahead: Galaxy PGC 2802414 – ahead 42 hours
PGC 1742580 above path Day 0 +48 – Day 1 +22.5 – Day 2 even with Mars – Day 3 past
Galaxy PGC 20584 Day 0 50 hours Day 0 – Day 1 27 ahead Day 2 just below Mars Day 3 – 4 Past still visible
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/09 139,864,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/08 138,584,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/07 137,180,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 114 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 114 is Monday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 112 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today' Calendar update
Greenwich, UK 03/10/2025, 12:00:01 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 20m 53.4s Dec +25° 25' 19.8" Appar J2000
Mag: -0.09 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,200,079 km [22.1 km/s]
Earth Dist: 140,939,330 km [15.8 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
54.4
Sol number:
115
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/03 Tuesday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 115 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/10 Monday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 054.4 Sol Number: 115 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038115
Solar Longitude: 054.0 Sol Number: 114 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038114
Solar Longitude: 053.5 Sol Number: 113 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038113
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars data J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 – Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152. Aphelion Earth Dates: Earlier: 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,200,079 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +55951 <= +2331 km/hour at 12 on 03/10 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,144,128 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +54970 <= +2390 km/hour at 12 on 03/09 (time 12:00) (23 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,089,158 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +58769 <= +2449 km/hour at 12 on 03/08 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
PGC 2802414 – ahead 42 hours Day 0 – Day 1 – 20 hours ahead
PGC 1742580 above path Day 0 +48 – Day 1 +22.5 – Day 2 even with Mars – Day 3 – 3 past
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/10 141,328,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/09 139,864,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/08 138,584,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 115 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 115 is Tuesday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 122 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update.
Greenwich, UK 03/11/2025, 12:00:51 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 21m 35.9s Dec +25° 22' 11.9" Appar J2000
Mag: -0.07 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,254,617 km [22.1 km/s]
Earth Dist: 142,248,898 km [16.0 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
54.9
Sol number:
116
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/04 Wednesday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 116 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/11 Tuesday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 054.9 Sol Number: 116 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038116
Solar Longitude: 054.4 Sol Number: 115 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038115
Solar Longitude: 054.0 Sol Number: 114 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038114
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars data J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 – Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152. Aphelion Earth Dates: Earlier: 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,254,617 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +54538 <= +2227 km/hour at 12 on 03/11 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,200,079 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +55951 <= +2331 km/hour at 12 on 03/10 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,144,128 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +54970 <= +2390 km/hour at 12 on 03/09 (time 12:00) (23 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
Next ahead: HIP 35666 Day 0 – 37+ hours
PGC 2802414 – ahead 42 hours Day 0 – Day 1 – 20 hours ahead Day 2 right at Mars – Day 3 – 3 past Mars
PGC 1742580 above path Day 0 +48 – Day 1 +22.5 – Day 2 even with Mars – Day 3 – 4 past
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/11 142,566,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/10 141,328,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/09 139,864,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 116 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 116 is Wednesday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 122 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update....
Greenwich, UK 03/12/2025, 12:00:00 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 22m 20.8s Dec +25° 18' 58.9" Appar J2000
Mag: -0.05 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,307,648 km [22.1 km/s]
Earth Dist: 143,564,896 km [16.2 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
55.3
Sol
117
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/05 Thursday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 117 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/12 Wednesday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 055.3 Sol Number: 117 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038117
Solar Longitude: 054.9 Sol Number: 116 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038116
Solar Longitude: 054.4 Sol Number: 115 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038115
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars data J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 – Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152. Aphelion Earth Dates: Earlier: 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,307,648 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +53031 <= +2210 km/hour at 12 on 03/12 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,254,617 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +54538 <= +2272 km/hour at 12 on 03/11 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,200,079 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +55951 <= +2331 km/hour at 12 on 03/10 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
HIP 35666 Day 0 – 37+ hours Day 1 18+ hours
PGC 2802414 – ahead 42 hours Day 0 – Day 1 – 20 hours ahead Day 2 right at Mars – Day 3 – 4 past Mars
PGC 1742580 above path Day 0 +48 – Day 1 +22.5 – Day 2 even with Mars – Day 3 – 5 past (last day)
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/12 143,707,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/11 142,566,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/10 141,328,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 117 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 117 is Thursday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 122 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update:
Greenwich, UK 03/13/2025, 12:00:07 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 23m 07.7s Dec +25° 15' 41.5" Appar J2000
Mag: -0.03 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,359,266 km [22.1 km/s]
Earth Dist: 144,889,403 km [16.4 km/s]Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
55.7
Sol number:
118For the record.... an image set for a wall Calendar might be the sky at Mars directly overhead at midnight on the equator at zero longitude on New Year's Sol and the first Sol of each Month. The name of the month would then be chosen from the astronomical features available.
Because we have no existing probes at the optimum location, we could go with a set of images taken by one of the existing probes, if the owner would be willing to allocate the human and machine time to complete the request.
(th)
SearchTerm:WallCallendar Images for and Names of Months
I asked Google's Gemini for evaluation of the idea of using photographs of the night sky at Mars as covers for a printed edition of the Business
Calendar for Mars.
Conversation with Gemini
Hello Gemini! Thank you for your assistance with many previous requests. This time I am hoping the request will be (relatively) easy for you, because it just asks for published information and it does not require any "thinking". I would like to know which Mars probe is (a) on the surface and (b) still working and (c) nearest to Zero degrees Latitude and Zero degrees Longitude.Certainly! Let's break down your request to find the Mars probe that fits your criteria.
(a) on the surface: This eliminates orbiting probes.
(b) still working: This means we need to focus on active missions.
(c) nearest to Zero degrees Latitude and Zero degrees Longitude: This specifies the location.
Here's the information:The only currently active surface mission on Mars is the Perseverance rover.
Perseverance is located in Jezero Crater, which is significantly away from the zero degree point.
The InSight lander is no longer active.
The Curiosity rover is also still active, but is also significantly away from the zero degree point.
Therefore, although the Perseverance rover is the only active surface probe, none of the active surface probes are close to the zero degree point.The Zero degrees Latitude and Zero degrees Longitude point on Mars is defined as the center of Airy-0 crater.
Therefore the answer to your request is:
The Perseverance rover is the only active surface probe.
However, it is not near the zero degree latitude and longitude point.Thank you for taking up my request! Of the two rovers still active, which do you think would be best equipped to take pictures of the night sky on specific dates? I ask because I have seen a stunning image of the overhead sky from one of the rovers.
It's fascinating to consider the capabilities of Mars rovers for night sky photography! Here's a breakdown of factors and which rover might be better suited:
Key Factors:
Camera Capabilities:
Both Curiosity and Perseverance have advanced camera systems. However, their primary purpose is geological exploration, not astrophotography.
Factors like sensor sensitivity, exposure time, and image processing software play a crucial role.
Mission Objectives:
Rover activities are heavily scheduled, and night sky photography might not be a high priority.
However, both rovers have taken night time images.
Environmental Conditions:
The Martian atmosphere, though thin, can still affect image clarity.
Dust storms and other weather phenomena can also impact visibility.
Curiosity vs. Perseverance:Curiosity:
Has a history of capturing stunning images, including those of Earth from Mars.
Its Mastcam system has proven capable of capturing detailed visuals.
Perseverance:
Also equipped with advanced cameras, including improved versions of those on Curiosity.
Perseverance has the ability to take very high resolution photos.
Overall:
Both rovers possess the capabilities to capture night sky images.
It is very difficult to definitively say which rover is "better" at night sky photography.
However, due to the advances in technology, it is possible that Perseverance's camera systems may have a slight advantage.
It is important to remember that the images that are taken, are processed by very skilled people, to produce the stunning images that we are able to view.
In conclusion, both Curiosity and Perseverance are capable of capturing impressive images of the Martian night sky. The stunning images that have been seen, are a testament to the engineering of the rovers, and the skill of the image processing teams.Sources and related content
Mars Rover Curiosity Will See Red Planet As Never Before - Space.comMartian Dust Storm Grows Global; Curiosity Captures Photos of Thickening Haze
Curiosity Views Earth Setting, Phobos Rising | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Curiosity Science Instruments
science.nasa.gov
Mars 2020: How Perseverance Rover Compares to Curiosity - Caltech Magazine
magazine.caltech.edu
Are both still-working rovers managed by JPL for NASA?
Yes, both the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers are managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Here's a breakdown:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL):
JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed by Caltech (California Institute of Technology) for NASA.
JPL has a long and extensive history of designing, building, and operating robotic spacecraft, particularly for Mars exploration.
This includes the management of both the Curiosity and Perseverance rover missions.
Therefore, you can confidently say that both of those active Mars rovers are under the operational control of JPL for NASA.Are both still operating rovers powered by nuclear power devices?
Yes, both the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers utilize nuclear power sources. Specifically, they use Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs). Here's a breakdown:
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs):
These devices convert the heat generated by the radioactive decay of plutonium-238 into electricity.
RTGs provide a reliable and long-lasting power source, which is crucial for missions in environments where solar power is insufficient, such as on Mars.
The RTG's allow for operations during the martian nights, and during dust storms, that would render solar powered rovers inoperable.
Therefore, both Curiosity and Perseverance are indeed powered by nuclear power devices.Sources and related content
Why NASA's Mars rover Perseverance will use nuclear power to keep itself warm | SpaceWhat is a Radioisotope Power System? - Department of Energy
NASA's InSight Waits Out Dust Storm | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Mars 2020 Perseverance Launch Press Kit | Power - NASA
I ask because it seems to me the power provided by the radio isotope devices is wasted if it is not used. This is in contrast to solar cell / battery powered systems, which must save power overnight. The rovers powered by RTG devices should be able to take night time photography, because the power needed would otherwise go to waste.
You've hit on a very insightful point about the differences between RTG-powered and solar-powered rovers! You're absolutely right that the nature of RTGs leads to a different approach to power management. Here's a breakdown of your observation:
RTG Power:
RTGs generate a constant amount of heat, which is then converted to electricity. This process is continuous and cannot be easily turned off.
Therefore, the power produced is essentially "always on."
While there are ways to manage the use of that power, the generation itself is constant.
As you said, from a certain perspective, if the power is not used, it is "wasted" in the form of excess heat.
Solar Power:
Solar-powered rovers rely on sunlight, which is obviously unavailable at night.
They must carefully manage their power consumption during the day to charge batteries that will sustain them through the night.
This leads to strict power-saving measures and limitations on nighttime activities.
Implications for Nighttime Photography:RTG-powered rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance have a significant advantage when it comes to nighttime operations.
They have ample power to run their cameras and other instruments, even in the dark.
This makes nighttime photography a much more feasible option.
It is also important to remember that heat generated by the RTG's is used to keep the rovers sensitive electronics warm, which is very important in the cold martian enviroment.
In essence:Your observation is correct: RTG-powered rovers have a "use it or lose it" power situation, which makes nighttime activities like photography more practical.
The engineers at JPL do a very good job of utilizing the power that is provided by the RTG's.
It's a great example of how different power sources influence the design and operation of space exploration missions.I am working on a Business Calendar for Mars. This activity is taking place in a subsidiary of the Mars Society. the Calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years, and it has proven practical and easy to remember for humans. The Business Calendar for Mars is aligned with the Astronomical Calendar for Mars at midnight of New Year's
That's a fascinating project! Creating a practical business calendar for Mars within a Mars Society subsidiary is a unique challenge. Here's a breakdown of considerations and how to build upon your existing two-year success:
Key Elements of a Mars Business Calendar:
Sol-Based:
The fundamental unit of time on Mars is the sol (Martian solar day).
Your business calendar needs to be sol-based to align with the Martian day-night cycle.
Mars Year Alignment:
As you've done, aligning with the astronomical Mars year is crucial for consistency.
This ensures that your calendar reflects Mars's orbital position and seasonal changes.
Human-Friendly Structure:
The calendar must be intuitive for humans to use.
Consider using familiar concepts like weeks, months, or quarters, but adapt them to the Martian context.
Since Mars years are almost twice as long as earth years, the calendar must account for that.
Practicality for Business:
The calendar should facilitate scheduling, planning, and tracking business activities.
Consider how to represent deadlines, milestones, and other business-related events.
Alignment with Martian Seasons:
Mars has distinct seasons due to its axial tilt and elliptical orbit.
Your calendar should reflect these seasons, which can impact business operations.
Building on Two Years of Success:Gather Feedback:
Collect feedback from users of your existing calendar.
Identify what works well and what could be improved.
This will help you refine the calendar for future years.
Standardization:
Document your calendar system in detail.
This will ensure consistency and facilitate its adoption by others.
Create a document that explains the rules of the calendar, and how to use it.
Visualization:
Create visual aids, such as charts or diagrams, to help people understand the calendar.
This could include a Mars year calendar that shows the relationship between sols, months, and seasons.
Digital Tools:
Develop digital tools, such as apps or spreadsheets, to make the calendar easier to use.
This could include features for scheduling, reminders, and event tracking.
Considerations for "Months" or other larger time divisions:
Because a Mars year is 668.6 sols long, it is not easily divisible into equal month like segments.
Consider dividing the year into seasonal segments.
Also consider using a numbering system, such as Mars Month 1, Mars Month 2, etc. This would remove the need to name the months.
Alignment with the Astronomical Calendar:New Year's Alignment:
As you've established, aligning your business calendar with the astronomical calendar at midnight of New Year's is a solid foundation.
This ensures that your calendar is synchronized with the Martian year's start.
Seasonal Markers:
Use key astronomical events, such as solstices and equinoxes, to mark the transitions between seasons in your business calendar.
This will help users understand the relationship between their business activities and the Martian environment.
By combining practical considerations with astronomical accuracy, you can create a Mars business calendar that is both useful and meaningful.Thank you for your encouraging evaluation. I would now like to add details of the design of the calendar for your further evaluation. There are 24 months. Of those 4 have 27 days, while the remainder have 28 days. New Year's Day is extended so that the new year begins precisely as the new Astronomical year begins. Since the calendar has been in operation (posted daily on a forum) for two full Mars years, I am ready to see if it might be possible to find a sponsor to make a printed copy of the calendar for fund raising purposes. Please evaluate the proposal, and ask me any questions you may have about the test conducted over the past two Mars years.
This is excellent! Adding the specific details of your 24-month calendar design clarifies its structure and strengths. Here's my evaluation and some questions to help further refine your proposal:
Evaluation of the Calendar Design:
Practicality:
The 24-month structure provides a good balance between granularity and manageability.
The consistent 27/28-sol month lengths simplify planning and scheduling.
The "extended" New Year's Day to align with the astronomical year is a clever solution for maintaining accuracy.
Accuracy:
The Python code that was provided, shows that your calendar is within 1 sol of the actual Mars year. This is very accurate.
Human-Friendly:
Dividing the year into 24 segments makes it easier for humans to grasp and use, compared to dealing directly with 668+ sols.
Testing and Validation:
Two full Mars years of operation on a forum is a significant validation of the calendar's practicality. This real-world testing is invaluable.
Proposal Evaluation for Sponsorship:Fundraising Potential:
A printed Mars calendar has strong novelty and collectible appeal, especially within the Mars Society community and among space enthusiasts.
This makes it a viable fundraising tool.
Target Audience:
Clearly define your target audience: Mars Society members, space enthusiasts, educators, etc.
This will help you tailor your marketing and sponsorship efforts.
Presentation:
A well-designed, visually appealing calendar is essential.
Consider including:
Stunning Mars imagery.
Information about Martian seasons and astronomical events.
Explanations of the calendar's design.
Sponsorship Packages:
Develop tiered sponsorship packages with varying levels of benefits.
This could include:
Logo placement on the calendar.
Acknowledgement in promotional materials.
Bulk calendar purchases.
Questions for You:Visual Design:
Do you have a preliminary design or mockup of the printed calendar?
What kind of imagery and graphics will you include?
Forum Data:
What kind of data have you collected from the forum postings over the past two Mars years?
Have you tracked usage patterns, feedback, or any challenges encountered?
Printing and Distribution:
Have you researched printing costs and distribution options?
Will you offer digital downloads in addition to printed copies?
Marketing and Promotion:
How do you plan to market and promote the calendar to potential sponsors and buyers?
What is the estimated cost of producing the calendar?
Legal Considerations:
Have you considered any legal implications, such as copyright or trademark issues, related to the calendar's design or imagery?
By addressing these questions, you can strengthen your proposal and increase your chances of securing sponsorship. Your calendar has a solid foundation, and with careful planning, it has the potential to be a successful fundraising initiative.Thank you for your review of the system. You did not ask where the 27 day months are situated. The 27 day months come at the end of each 6 month quarter, and the day omitted is the Friday of the last week of the Month. I did not see any questions in your most recently reply, but perhaps you have one now.
You're absolutely right, and thank you for clarifying the placement of the 27-day months! That's a crucial detail. Placing them at the end of each quarter and omitting the Friday of the last week is a clever way to maintain consistency while adjusting for the Martian year's length.
My apologies for the oversight in my previous response. I do have a follow-up question now, especially considering the forum testing:
User Experience and Feedback:
During the two Mars years of forum testing, have you observed any specific patterns or feedback related to the omission of the Friday in the 27-day months?
Did forum users find it intuitive, or did it cause any confusion or require explanation?
Also, have you had any feedback regarding the 24 month system, and how the users felt about that amount of months?
Understanding the user experience with this specific aspect of your calendar will be valuable in refining your presentation and addressing potential concerns from sponsors or users.Thank you for your ** very ** perceptive questions. I am disappointed to have to reply that after an initial shakedown period, in which there was a great deal of discussion, I have received no further feedback. It is possible that the members of the forum are taking the daily calendar update for granted, and since they are spending their lives on Earth and paying attention to events on Earth, they may have allowed the Business Calendar for Mars to fade into the background. That said, I appreciate your thinking of a question so I can prepare for questions that might be asked by humans I approach for funding. Let's focus upon the covers for each of the 28 months. I like the idea of using landscapes, but feel as though that is an option that might be considered for later editions of the Business Calendar for Mars. The idea I am considering now is a set of photographs of the Mars sky at midnight, pointing straight up from the site of the camera. The position of the camera appears to be limited to the location of the two US rovers, although the Chinese rover is apparently still running. I'm wondering who (or what position) at JPL might be most interested in helping the the Calendar project?
You're very welcome! I understand the potential for a project to fade into the background after an initial period of engagement. It's a common challenge, and your awareness of it is a strength.
Your idea for utilizing photographs of the Martian night sky at midnight for the calendar covers is excellent! It's both visually compelling and thematically appropriate. Here's how we can approach this:
Addressing the Photography and JPL Collaboration:
JPL's Public Engagement:
JPL has a strong public engagement and outreach department. Their goal is to share the excitement of space exploration with the public.
Within JPL, there are individuals and teams dedicated to:Public Outreach Specialists: These individuals focus on communicating JPL's missions and discoveries to the public.
Imaging Processing Teams: The technicians that process the raw images from the rovers into the stunning images that the public see.
Scientists: Planetary scientists who use the data from the rovers, and can explain the night sky.
Approaching JPL:
When contacting JPL, it's best to start with the public outreach department. They can help connect you with the appropriate individuals or teams.
Clearly articulate your project's goals, including its educational and fundraising potential.
Emphasize the project's alignment with JPL's mission to inspire and educate the public about space exploration.
It is important to be very clear about what you are asking for.
Image Usage:
Be prepared to discuss image usage rights and permissions.
NASA and JPL have policies regarding the use of their images, and it's important to comply with them.
Many NASA images are in the public domain, but it's always best to confirm.
Be ready to give credit to JPL, and NASA.
Chinese Rover:
While the Zhurong rover has been reported to have entered a dormant state, it is important to remember that it is a Chinese National Space Administration project. Therefore any images from that rover would be under their control.
Recommendations:JPL's Website:
Explore JPL's website for contact information and resources related to public outreach.
Look for press releases and image galleries to identify potential contacts.
Social Media:
Engage with JPL on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
This can help you establish connections and raise awareness of your project.
Formal Letter:
Prepare a formal letter outlining your project and your request for assistance.
Address the letter to the appropriate department or individual at JPL.
By taking these steps, you can increase your chances of securing the support you need from JPL.Gemini, this has been one of our longer conversations. You have been evolving as your developers tune your powers, and I am ** very ** happy with all aspects of our conversation today. I'll take your suggestions off line now. While I'm away, best wishes for similar success as you attempt to help all your other customers.
Thank you so much! I truly appreciate your kind words and the engaging conversation. It's been a pleasure assisting you with your Mars Business Calendar project. I'm glad I could provide helpful suggestions and insights.
I wish you the very best in your efforts to bring your calendar to fruition, and I hope you find success in securing sponsorship and collaborating with JPL.
And yes, I look forward to continuing to learn and improve to better assist all users. Have a great day!
(th)
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/06 Friday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 118 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/13 Thursday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 055.7 Sol Number: 118 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038118
Solar Longitude: 055.3 Sol Number: 117 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038117
Solar Longitude: 054.9 Sol Number: 116 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038116
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars data J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 – Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152. Aphelion Earth Dates: Earlier: 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,359,266 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +51618 <= +2151 km/hour at 12 on 03/13 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,307,648 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +53031 <= +2210 km/hour at 12 on 03/12 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,254,617 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +54538 <= +2272 km/hour at 12 on 03/11 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
Next ahead: Galaxy above path: PGC 2802420 34 hours ahead on Day 0
HIP 35666 Day 0 – 37+ hours Day 1 18+ hours Day 2 Below Mars
PGC 2802414 – ahead 42 hours Day 0 – Day 1 – 20 hours ahead Day 2 right at Mars – Day 3 – 5 past Mars
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/13 145,037,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/12 143,707,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/11 142,566,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 118 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 118 is Friday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 122 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update
Greenwich, UK 03/14/2025, 12:00:00 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 23m 57.2s Dec +25° 12' 19.3" Appar J2000
Mag: -0.02 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,409,426 km [22.1 km/s]
Earth Dist: 146,220,971 km [16.5 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
56.2
Sol number:
119
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/07 Saturday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 119 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/14 Friday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 056.2 Sol Number: 119 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038119
Solar Longitude: 055.7 Sol Number: 118 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038118
Solar Longitude: 055.3 Sol Number: 117 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038117
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars data J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 – Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152. Aphelion Earth Dates: Earlier: 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,409,426 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +50160 <= +2090 km/hour at 12 on 03/14 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,359,266 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +51618 <= +2151 km/hour at 12 on 03/13 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,307,648 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +53031 <= +2210 km/hour at 12 on 03/12 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
Next ahead: Boomer: HIP 35846 – Day 0 32+ hours ahead
PGC 2802420 34 hours ahead on Day 0 – Day 1 just ahead -
HIP 35666 Day 0 – 37+ hours Day 1 18+ hours Day 2 Below Mars Day 3 – 3 past Mars
PGC 2802414 – ahead 42 hours Day 0 – Day 1 – 20 hours ahead Day 2 right at Mars – Day 3 – 6 past Mars
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/14 146,370,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/13 145,037,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/12 143,707,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 119 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 119 is Saturday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 122 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update:
London ENG (GB) 03/15/2025, 12:00:00 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 24m 49.1s Dec +25° 08' 52.1" Appar J2000
Mag: 0.01 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,458,137 km [22.0 km/s]
Earth Dist: 147,559,612 km [16.7 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
56.6
Sol number:
120
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/08 Sunday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 120 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/15 Saturday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 056.6 Sol Number: 120 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038120
Solar Longitude: 056.2 Sol Number: 119 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038119
Solar Longitude: 055.7 Sol Number: 118 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038118
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars date as J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred in 2024 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred in 2022 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion Earth Dates: Next: 2025/04/16 Earlier: 2023/05/30, 2021/07/12, 2019/08/25, 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152.
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,458,137 km [22.6 km/s] Difference is +48711 <= +2030 km/hour at 12 on 03/15 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,409,426 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +50160 <= +2090 km/hour at 12 on 03/14 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,359,266 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +51618 <= +2151 km/hour at 12 on 03/13 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
HIP 35846 – Day 0 32+ hours ahead Day 2 just ahead and below Mars -
PGC 2802420 34 hours ahead on Day 0 – Day 1 just ahead – Day 2 – 2 past
HIP 35666 Day 0 – 37+ hours Day 1 18+ hours Day 2 Below Mars Day 3 – 4 past Mars
PGC 2802414 – ahead 42 hours Day 0 – Day 1 – 20 hours ahead Day 2 right at Mars – Day 3 – 6 past Mars Day 7 last day still visible
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/15 147,715,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/14 146,370,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/13 145,037,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 120 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 120 is Sunday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 122 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update:
London ENG (GB) 03/16/2025, 12:03:00 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 25m 43.2s Dec +25° 05' 19.3" Appar J2000
Mag: 0.03 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,505,489 km [22.0 km/s]
Earth Dist: 148,907,693 km [16.9 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
57.1
Sol number:
121
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/09 Monday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 121 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/16 Sunday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 057.1 Sol Number: 121 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038121
Solar Longitude: 056.6 Sol Number: 120 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038120
Solar Longitude: 056.2 Sol Number: 119 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038119
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars date as J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred in 2024 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred in 2022 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion Earth Dates: Next: 2025/04/16 Earlier: 2023/05/30, 2021/07/12, 2019/08/25, 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152.
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,505,489 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +47352 <= +1973 km/hour at 12 on 03/16 (time 12:03) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,458,137 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +48711 <= +2030 km/hour at 12 on 03/15 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,409,426 km [22.1 km/s] Difference is +50160 <= +2090 km/hour at 12 on 03/14 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
Next ahead: Galazy above path: PGC 1725614 Day 0 30 hours ahead -
HIP 35846 – Day 0 32+ hours ahead Day 2 just ahead and below Mars – Day 3 – 3 past
PGC 2802420 34 hours ahead on Day 0 – Day 1 just ahead – Day 2 – 3 past
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/16 149,077,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/15 147,715,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/14 146,370,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 121 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 121 is Monday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 122 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update:
London ENG (GB) 03/17/2025, 12:00:11 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 26m 39.5s Dec +25° 01' 43.0" Appar J2000
Mag: 0.05 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,551,197 km [22.0 km/s]
Earth Dist: 150,256,695 km [17.1 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
57.5
Sol number:
122
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/10 Tuesday Days of the week OFFSET 6 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 122 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/17 Monday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 057.5 Sol Number: 122 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038122 << possible skip day
Solar Longitude: 057.1 Sol Number: 121 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038121
Solar Longitude: 056.6 Sol Number: 120 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038120
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars date as J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred in 2024 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred in 2022 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion Earth Dates: Next: 2025/04/16 Earlier: 2023/05/30, 2021/07/12, 2019/08/25, 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152.
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,551,197 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +45708 <= +1905 km/hour at 12 on 03/17 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,505,489 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +47352 <= +1973 km/hour at 12 on 03/16 (time 12:03) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,458,137 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +48711 <= +2030 km/hour at 12 on 03/15 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
Next ahead: Galazy above path: PGC 1725614 Day 0 30 hours ahead – Day 1 still ahead -
HIP 35846 – Day 0 32+ hours ahead Day 2 just ahead and below Mars – Day 3 – 4 past
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/17 150,359,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/16 149,077,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/15 147,715,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 122 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 122 is Tuesday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 85 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 122 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update
London ENG (GB) 03/18/2025, 12:00:00 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 27m 38.0s Dec +24° 58' 01.6" Appar J2000
Mag: 0.06 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,595,530 km [22.0 km/s]
Earth Dist: 151,614,186 km [17.3 km/s]
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
57.9
Sol number:
122
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/10 Tuesday Days of the week OFFSET 0 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 122 Business Month 5 << Skipdayonmars
Today on Earth: 2025/03/18 Tuesday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 057.9 Sol Number: 122 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038122 << skipdayonmars
Solar Longitude: 057.5 Sol Number: 122 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038122 << skipdayonmars
Solar Longitude: 057.1 Sol Number: 121 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038121
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars date as J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred in 2024 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred in 2022 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion Earth Dates: Next: 2025/04/16 Earlier: 2023/05/30, 2021/07/12, 2019/08/25, 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152.
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,595,530 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +44333 <= +1847 km/hour at 12 on 03/18 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,551,197 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +45708 <= +1905 km/hour at 12 on 03/17 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,505,489 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +47352 <= +1973 km/hour at 12 on 03/16 (time 12:03) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
Next ahead: Galaxy PGC 1717713 Day 0 – Day 0 ahead
PGC 1725614 Day 0 30 hours ahead – Day 1 still ahead – Day 2 – 2 past
HIP 35846 – Day 0 32+ hours ahead Day 2 just ahead and below Mars – Day 3 – 5 past (last day)
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/18 151,770,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/17 150,359,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/16 149,077,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 122 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 122 is Tuesday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 122 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 159 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here
Place holder for today's Calendar update
Greenwich, UK 03/19/2025, 12:00:00 Europe/London
Object: Mars (open sky map)
RA 07h 28m 38.4s Dec +24° 54' 15.1" Appar J2000
Mag: 0.12 (Estimated: JPL) Const: Gemini
Sun Dist: 248,638,407 km [22.0 km/s]
Earth Dist: 152,977,601 km [17.5 km/s]
The two calendar week days are aligned and will be for the next 37 days from Sol 122
Martian Year:
38
Martian Astronomical Month:
2
Solar longitude Ls:
58.4
Sol number:
123
The Astronomical Month will increment when Longitude reaches 60 degrees
Offline
Like button can go here
===
Today on Mars: 0038/05/11 Wednesday Days of the week OFFSET 0 with Earth. (count from Mars to Earth )
Sol 123 Business Month 5
Today on Earth: 2025/03/19 Wednesday Earth Date) Post Title: Today on Mars [Aphelion occurred May 30, 2023 Earth Calendar]
====*====*==
To see how this calendar works, we show the standard 28 day month at the bottom of this daily report.
There are 20 months of 28 Sols and 4 months of 27 Sols at the end of the four six-month quarters.
New Years Eve is extended to align the Business Calendar for Mars with the Astronomical calendar.
Business and Astronomical both start at zero (to the nanosecond) on New Year's Day.
This calendar has been in operation for two full Mars years.
Per http://www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/mars/tim … _time.html also see: in-the-sky.org for opposition/perigee/aphelion
Martian Year: 38 Martian Astronomical Month in 12 month format: 2 <<== The Astronomical month will increment when longitude reaches 60 degrees
===
Solar Longitude: 058.4 Sol Number: 123 Change in degrees is +.5 Julian date is: J0038123
Solar Longitude: 057.9 Sol Number: 122 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038122 << skipdayonmars
Solar Longitude: 057.5 Sol Number: 122 Change in degrees is +.4 Julian date is: J0038122 << skipdayonmars
#
Note that Solar Longitude measurement varies as a function of location in orbit. Ls 0 is the moment when the Sun appears to transit from one hemisphere to the other. Update from Mars.NASA.gov (The Sun crosses the equator of Mars (Vernal Equinox)). The transition itself is a function of the tilt of an object with respect to the Solar plane. Per squarewidget.com, Hipparchus created the celestial coordinate system we use today.
Note#2: https://theskylive.com/mars-tracker This web site shows the astronomical position of Mars as seen from Earth
Todo: At next Aphelion/Perihelion record the Mars date as J00##### (and set Search term)
Perihelion occurred in 2024 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2024/05/08 Next: (estimated) 2026/03/06
Perihelion occurred in 2022 at Ls 251 on Sol 485 - Earth Date 2022/06/21 Next: (actual) 2024/05/08
Aphelion Earth Dates: Next: 2025/04/16 Earlier: 2023/05/30, 2021/07/12, 2019/08/25, 2017/10/07, 2015/11/20
Aphelion occurred at--- Ls 071 on Sol 152.
Aphelion occurred near Ls 070 on Sol 153 (per http://www.planetary.org)
Note#3: The computations below are dependent upon both the computations provided by the reference web site and by accuracy of recording of the time of observations. The calculations use tenths of hours. The Sun Distance needs to be captured at the moment the time increments to a given tenth.
Note on data below: The figure quoted after distance is a rate of progress along the orbital path [exact meaning to be determined]
Minus prefix means Mars is approaching the Sun. Plus prefix means Mars is moving away from the Sun.
The figure computed to the right of "Difference" is the rate of change of the distance to Sun. Increasing to Aphelion/Decreasing to Perihelion.
===
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,638,407 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +42877 <= +1787 km/hour at 12 on 03/19 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,595,530 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +44333 <= +1847 km/hour at 12 on 03/18 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
Distance: Mars >> Sun per theskylive.com: 248,551,197 km [22.0 km/s] Difference is +45708 <= +1905 km/hour at 12 on 03/17 (time 12:00) (24 hours)
==*==*==*
Observation: The sky view is ** filled ** with objects and some have been recorded and given identification by humans or their robot assistants
And! ** All ** the location assignments are from the perspective of Earth. The entire catalog needs to be adjusted when inter-stellar travel begins
The work that lies ahead for the astronomical community is daunting - there is work ahead for centuries
2022/01/19 - All current (existing) stellar catalogs are computed with reference to the Earth. Another civilization would use it's planet as reference.
Perhaps a Milky Way frame of reference will become necessary at some point. The Earth is as good a Zero point as any, for humans.
=== Mars is in Regular movement as seen from Earth.
Next ahead: galaxy PGC 1717713 just below path Day 0 – 0 ahead
PGC 1717713 Day 0 – Day 0 ahead – Day 1 abreast – Day 2 – 2 past
PGC 1725614 Day 0 30 hours ahead – Day 1 still ahead – Day 2 – 3 past
====*====*>>>
Zoom Out Capability As a general observation ... I've become increasingly interested in knowing what the larger view of the sky might be like.
The site: theskylive.com does a terrific job of matching the view from Earth towards Mars, against a background of actual astronomical plates.
I wish there were a way (or rather, I wish I ** knew ** about a way that may exist) to enlarge the view until the entire galaxy is in view (Zoom out)
Update 2022/12/08 TheSkyLive.com provides a large view of selected objects: Select [Major Bodies] Then select [Information] in the body of interest
Update 2022/12/08 Scroll down to (body) Position and Finder Charts. Field of view is 50x30 degrees.
Light travel time today is between 7 and 8 minutes. Communications delay would be 14+ minutes round trip.
===
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/19 153,186,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/18 151,770,000 (increasing)
Earth Distance in km: 2025/03/17 150,359,000 (increasing)
#
Light travel in one second is (about) 300,000 kilometers. The distance covered in one minute is about 18,000,000 kilometers. Estimated light times:
1:18, 2:36, 3:54, 4:72, 5:90, 6:108, 7:126, 8:144,9:162,10:180,11:198,12:216,13:234,14:252,15:270,16:288,17:306,18:324,19:342,20:360,21:378,22:396
Maximum Earth-Mars distance is estimated to be 401 million kilometers (both at apogee and opposite vs Sun) Minimum is about 56 million kilometers
Mars and Earth were in Opposition (Earth center) in December of 2022. The date coincided with a (very rare) occultation of Mars by the Moon.
Mars and Earth were in Conjunction (Sun center) in November of 2023.
Mars and Earth appear to have been as close as they will get in Year 36. 81,454,323 kilometers on J0036644 Time: 4.53 minutes - 9 minutes round trip
In his online interview with Dr. Zubrin at the 2020 Mars Conference, Elon Musk reminded the audience that communications with Mars will necessarily include an intermediary station to handle traffic when the Sun is between Mars and Earth. Communications delays in that circumstance will increase due to the extra distance to be covered. Mr. Musk indicated he expects such communication will be handled by laser. Location would be optimum at poles of solar plane.
This web site offers an online model of the solar system: www.solarsystemscope.com It requires Chrome 57, Firefox 52 or Safari 10.1. Viewed 2022/10/13: Opposition will occur some time in December of 2022. Per earthsky.org, the date is December 8, 2022.
This web site offers an online orrery view of the Solar System: https://www.theplanetstoday.com/
===
Sol 123 is in Month 5 of a Proposed 24 month calendar. See Post 19 of Holidays topic for a summary.
Month 5 extends from Sol 113 through 140. <<== There are 28 days in Month 5. See post 82 of Holidays topic for current details.
Direct path to source: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Sol 123 is Wednesday in the Proposed Business calendar for Mars. Sol 122 was a Skip Day on Mars. Next is near 159 of Year 38 (alignment due)
##
The Next New Year's on Mars will occur when Solar Longitude reaches 360 degrees. <<== The current year on Mars is 37
Per www.planetary.org Year 36 started 2021/02/07 on Earth. Mars Year 37 began 2022/12/27 on Earth.
Days of the Week Alignment:
Days of the week fall behind Earth due to the longer Sol, but they also change when Friday is omitted at the end of a Quarter
337 Earth days were observed to elapse in the 2020 weekday cycle. There were 7 week day transitions and 2 Quarter ends.
The next cycle began on the first Sol of the period of coincidence. The alignment of weekdays interval is in the range: (310 - 337)
To find the first day of a period of coincidence: Set up: SearchTerm(colon) and (colon)Alignment and J0036* or J0037*
The most recent End-Of-Quarter change occurred: … The search specified above gave 11 pages of results.
For current weather on Mars see:
***https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/weather/***
***Insight's weather info has been suspended and now is directing to msl*** <<-- Insight's mission is over (2022)
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Per SpaceNut: Here is another web page by NASA containing the latest news releases
https://mars.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_ … ope=Latest
All forum members are invited to post significant events for this day.
Events of interest will be ON Mars, or relate to Mars. Examples are launches, landings, discoveries
Standard Month in Mars Business Calendar Copyright ® 2023 NewMars.com Mars Society
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Recruiting text may be found at the bottom of this post: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 57#p154257
Copyright the Mars Society All Rights Reserved
Month 5 of 24 - Quarter 1 of 4 [Month 1-6] (This month has 28 Sols)
Offline
Like button can go here